1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus in an image forming system including a plurality of image forming apparatuses communicably connected to each other, a control method therefor, and a control program for implementing the method.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an image forming system in which a plurality of copying machines are communicably interconnected via a network and the like, there is provided a copy mode configured to enable two or more copying machines to copy an image scanned by a scanner of one copying machine. The two or more copying machines may include the apparatus that scans the image from an original. This copy mode is called cascade copy (see e.g. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2001-358895). In cascade copy, when obtaining 100 copies, for example, by two copying machines 50 copies are printed by one of the copying machines, and at the same time another 50 copies are printed by the other, so that it is possible to reduce time required for the copying operation.
The above-described image forming system also provides another copy mode configured to enable a copying machine other than the copying machine that scanned an image by the scanner thereof, to print the image. This copy mode is called remote copy. In remote copy, it is possible to enable a copying machine e.g. in a remote place to print out the scanned image.
In general, in an image forming system in which cascade copy or remote copy can be performed, a copying machine which scans an original is referred to as a master apparatus, and a copying machine which receives scanned image data from the master apparatus is referred to as a slave apparatus.
In order to use the copy mode, such as cascade copy or remote copy, the user is required to register a slave apparatus in a master apparatus in advance. Specifically, the user is required to input information, such as an IP address, for identifying the slave apparatus, to the master apparatus in advance to thereby register the information in a slave apparatus list provided in the master apparatus. In executing the cascade copy or the remote copy, the user selects a slave apparatus from the slave apparatus list registered in the master apparatus, and then gives an instruction for scanning an original.
As described above, in the conventional cascade copy or remote copy, a user has to register slave apparatuses in a master apparatus by manual operation, and hence the operation is troublesome.
To eliminate the inconvenience of the manual operation for inputting information configuration on copying machines, it is envisaged for a copying machine newly set up for use to acquire configuration information on other existing machines via a network, and cause the acquired information to be reflected on the configuration information of its own (see e.g. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. H11-321040).
To solve the problem of the troublesome configuration in the prior art, it is convenient if an external apparatus can be automatically registered in the slave apparatus list when the copying machine receives image data from the external apparatus. However, not all types of external apparatuses are suitable as a slave apparatus. More specifically, if external apparatuses from which the copying machine receives image data are unconditionally added to the slave apparatus list, even apparatuses which are not capable of executing the above-mentioned copy modes are registered in the slave apparatus list.